extra magic hours -not so magical!

[korzmom]

well atleast I didnt have to wait for a bus, we were staying at BWV..so we just walked.sorry I didnt get to meet any of you, but I'm sure our paths crossed sometime during that day. POOHANDWENDY< did you have on STEELER shirts, or maybe I talked with your husband, I said to someone wearing a steeler shirt,we're from pittsburgh too, and he said I've met some many today from pa..well heres hoping next trip is less crowded..

 

[Rock'n Robin]

I think that the second Fantasmic must always be a joke. We were there July 12 and we were packed like sardines, waiting for a signal to move ahead. It must take forever to clean up after the 9PM show because they didn't let us move until 10:15. DD#2 almost fainted. They keep cramming more and more people in. And then after the show, instead of letting you out by Oscars and closer to the exit, they force you to leave on Sunset again when you are all crowded and exhausted.
We hadn't seen Fantasmic in years. It was good, but now we don't have to brave that mess for a while!
BTW our experience with evening EMH at Epcot was great. We waited 30 minutes standby for Soarin at 8:30. Then we went and got a fastpass for Test Track (they start reissuing them when EMH starts) and rode Mission Space twice standy with 5-15 minute waits, shorter for my green side then DH's orange side. We got all the major stuff out of the way, so instead of getting there early the next day, we were able to sleep in. This was on the evening of July 13.
Robin M.

 

[OhMari]

Wow, I guess the secret about doing rides during the first Fantasmic Show and attending the 2nd Fantasmic show - isn't a secret anymore. This was going to be my plan of action, I think I am switching it.

 

[peachgirl]

EMH wasn't any better on our trip we just returned from 7-22-8/01.

We had all our days carefully planned out before we left taking advantage of each park on the emh days. What a joke! We learned by our 2nd day what a mistake it was to even venture into a park that had emh that day.

So, we sat down and spent a few minutes re-doing the schedule our second day there avoiding emh days and it worked great! As far as fantasmic goes..if it's not an emh night, then the 2nd show was still the best bet for fewer people. We didn't even arrive for the second show until they had already let people in and we still got a great seat in the center section.

I couldn't believe how crowded the parks were on the emh days, but it sure made for lighter crowds in the other parks.

Our last night there though, we did head off to the MK just for the fireworks and then decided to see if we could stand the crowds. By midnight, it was thinning out and from 1am-2am most rides were a walk-on.

My advice? Go to any park that isn't offering emh. I wish they'd do away with it and bring back e-nights. I'd rather pay the $35 and enjoy the parks. As long as it's "free", it's going to be packed.

 

[punkin]

EMH wasn't any better on our trip we just returned from 7-22-8/01.

We had all our days carefully planned out before we left taking advantage of each park on the emh days. What a joke! We learned by our 2nd day what a mistake it was to even venture into a park that had emh that day.

This is very bad because that's exactly what I have planned for my trip. However, I can't really change things because I'm going for free dining and am a slave to my ADRs.

 

[peachgirl]

This is very bad because that's exactly what I have planned for my trip. However, I can't really change things because I'm going for free dining and am a slave to my ADRs.

I'm not a fan of the dining plans either. It's causing a noticeable decline in the quality of food at the nicer restaurants along with significantly less service. It got to the point where I actually wished I had a button I could wear that said "I'm not on a dining plan!!". I'm afraid both the extra hours and free dining are no where near "free".

If I were in your shoes, I'd do whatever I had to do to avoid the emh parks even if it meant simply entering the park to eat and then getting the heck out of there....it really was that bad.

 

[geffric]

We were at MGM on July 19th too. But I guess we were lucky 'cause we had done the Fantasmic dining and ate at Hollywood and Vine and then went to the 9 pm showing of Fantasmic. We got there about 8:15 and had great seats. We left after the show as we were going to Blizzard Beach the next days and wanted to get there for the am EMH. Guess we didn't miss much but lines...


We did pm EMH at AK on Monday and they were checking wrist bands and asking people to leave that didn't have one. The lines for EE were walk on by the end.

 

[BuzznBelle'smom]

I appreciate you guys posting about this. I'm going in 3 weeks with 4 kids, age 6mo to 11yo (Am I nuts?!?). I don't think we were planning on evening EMH, but definitely morning a couple times. I'm going to have to go back and check my itinerary.

 

[sm4987]

I was there that night. Ya know they always tell you to do the second showing of Fantasmic because it's not crowded. Somebody lied. That night was like a madhouse. I've never seen it so crowded. It also doesn't help that RnR was closed down that night either. I have not gone in late July and didn't know what to expect. I won't be going back. I think I like my cooler months much, much better!

 

[marymrg]

I have done EMH at night in July and in March and April and it is definitely a zoo in the summer. I think more young families go at Easter time and older families or locals are there in the Summer.